Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are widely used as “addresses” to access resources on the Internet, such as web pages and other contents stored at various websites. A concern with URLs is that some URLs can be very long due to complex descriptive attributes that are sometimes included in the URLs. As a result, some URLs can be difficult to remember and visually unappealing. In addition, due to the total character limits on some messaging services, users may be unable to fit one or more of URLs in their messages, which can frustrate the users of these messaging services. Such URLs can also be truncated or broken up by some messaging applications such as email clients.
One way to alleviate the above concerns is to use URL shortening, which is a technique of making Web contents available under substitute URLs that are much shorter than the original URLs. Thus, these substitute or shortened URLs can be used instead of the long, original URLs to access the desired web contents. Since the shortened URLs are typically much shorter than the original URLs, the shortened URLs can be easier to remember, visually more appealing and more easily inserted in messages. Currently, various companies provide URL shortening services that redirect requests using shortened URLs to their intended destinations, i.e., resources defined in the original URLs.
Most URL shortening service providers use 301 or 302 HTTP redirects to redirect requests using shortened URLs to their intended destinations. Thus, the URL shortening services providers loose control over subsequent user web activities. Consequently, the URL shortening service providers cannot mediate and/or control web-browsing traffic beyond the first click, i.e., the click using the shortened URL, which significantly limits information gathering and/or further service providing capabilities of the URL shortening service providers.
In view of the limitations of the current URL shortening services, there is a need for a system and method for controlling web-browsing activities of URL shortening service users.